new blog address

Alrighty, so my new blog address is:

bootandlooty.wordpress.com

Please update your readers and links :)

Moving

Ok, so after yet another day filled with "sever error" messages when I try to upload, I've decided that blogger just has to go.  I really can't use a service that won't let me upload photos. So, I'll be importing all my posts into my wordpress blog today and then be blogging over there instead of here. Chew on that, blogger.

It's Open!

My etsy shop is up and rolling! Right now, I just have a few headbands up, but I'm working on getting a lot more  up for sale in the next bit. Go and check it out! eviesbeans.etsy.com

Halloweenish

So, I succesfully turned this:

Into this:

And surprisingly, it was almost easy. 

Because I wanted the cartoon Queen of Hearts, I had a bit of an issue finding a pattern. I finally decided that S2813 would do the trick, since it had a seam up the front bodice, making it easy to do the black on one side and the red on the other. I didn't, however, notice that the front of the skirt wasn't a traditional one piece that has a seam at the side of the hips. Instead, it has the back pieces wrapping around to the front panel 1/3 of the way in from the sides. So, I decided to make the underskirt the front skirt panel (the black and yellow chevrons, just ziggzaged on) and then cut the back pieces into 4, instead of cutting on the fold and making 2. If that makes any sense.

It was a pretty easy pattern change and for once, I put a zipper in easily. There is something to be said for Simplicity's zipper installation instructions. So much easier than the method I've always used, but not as clean looking as the method on the zipper packaging. It works really well for costumes, though!

I used broadcloth for the entire dress, with a heavy weight pellon for the collar and bodice interfacing. If I make the pattern again, I'll add some boning to the bodice, since it tended to bunch up a bit. Other than that, I wouldn't change much about the pattern.

On another note, I'm almost ready to open the etsy shop, so hopefully it'll be ready by the end of the week. Which would be tomorrow....

Crafty Madness Over Here

Again, it's taken me far too long to post all the crafty things I've been up to. Ah well, c'est la vie, non? 

So, let's blame it on Halloween, and turning this Snow White pattern:

into this Queen of Hearts dress:

my daughter is going as Alice (I had the keen foresight to order her dress last year during the Disney store's clearance sale, yes, I took the easy route and no, I'm not ashamed :) and the Hubs is going as the White Rabbit.

And painting our TV room (a garage conversion) a beautiful shade of green (white is just too blah). Don't worry, we're installing crown molding next, so that ghastly white strip will be hidden.

And trying to crochet enough headbands to open an etsy store before Christmas (yeesh, who knew my arms would get so tight crocheting, painting and sewing in all my "spare" time?). I plan to open it up next week. *crossing fingers*  I have one more headband to finish and then all I need to do is take pictures. Yikes! I'm excited and a bit nervous to actually be selling my work, and my designs. I feel like anything taking this much effort to get started isn't going to be more than just a pipe dream. So, once it's up, order one or two and tell your amigos, k? K.

Quilt II

I finally finished my second attempt at this quilt. I think I started it in February (maybe January) using scraps from baby blankets I've made - it was intended to be an Easter gift for my daughter's BFF. 


It's now a birthday gift for her. 


Because I am that on top of this whole quilting thing :)


But you must admit, this was speedy compared to the 3.5 years it took me to finish the first one.

I've learned a lot about quilting since I started my daughter's quilt 4 years ago:

1. Tie your outer corners, or the batting will move like crazy
2. Cut your tie ends short (if using wool yarn) so it balls up properly (otherwise, they look like ratty fuzzy tails)
3. Strip cutting is the only way to go, or your squares end up all funky sized.
4. Cut off the selvage from your fabric piece
5. Sew with 1/4" seams! (I know, duh, right? but years of sewing 5/8" makes 1/4" seem to tiny to work)
6. Don't just lay the batting and back piece on top of the quilt and cut them out using the top piece as a pattern. Measure, measure, measure.
7. I still don't love quilting, but I am begining to like how quickly a simple quilt can come together.

And here it is, the BFF's birthday quilt:

Oodles of Flowers

Ok, I've been meaning to take pictures of all the flowers I've been making, but it's a little tricky to take pictures of my own head. So today I tried to get my daughter to model them for me, which only ended in tears. For both of us. I ended up bribing her with chocolate. Oh the things a mom will stoop to :) At least she loved the treat!

My baby girl did a great job of modeling though, and I finally (after 6 8 months) found the perfect spot in the house for natural lighting. And a great back drop. 

So here are the four flower hair doodads I've made:

{tutorial from the full of life Rhonna Farrer of Rhonna Designs}

Super easy - my 12 yr old niece made one with out any major issues. And super fast. I used my glue gun and scorched my fingers once or twice, but that's just cause I'm clumsy. The button in the middle I picked up in my college days for a witch costume that I never made (surprisingly they still sell it at JoAnn's).

{tutorial also from Rhonna}

I love this one - probably because I am a bit of a pyro and to get the petals to curl, you hold them over a flame. Ooooo. So much fun. I just saw another tutorial that uses various circles instead of a strip of fabric that I'll have to try out.

{tutorial from creativeyarn}

This one took some thinking. The pattern is easy, until you get to one point where it becomes obvious that she's Italian :) But once you figure out she means to join 30 spaces from the end, it comes together easily. I made the first out of the recommended worsted weight yarn and felt it looked too much like a doily on my head than a flower. The second I made with fingering weight and I like it much better. Less granny hippie. I also decreased the amount in the chain (I think I did 80) because I have a small head.